Kolkata, Feb 23 (IANS): A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to the lone All India Secular Front (AISF) legislator in West Bengal Assembly, Naushad Siddique, in a case relating to the alleged murder of a local Trinamool Congress worker at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district during the panchayat elections held last last year.

On June 16 last year, Trinamool worker Raju Nashkar was allegedly murdered. A case was registered against 68 individuals, including Siddique, at the local police station on the basis of a complaint filed by another Trinamool worker named Rittik Nashkar.

The police even registered an FIR against Siddique, incorporating charges under Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Siddique was summoned and questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police in the matter.

The AISF legislator approached the court seeking anticipatory bail in the matter on Friday, which was granted by the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi after Siddique's counsel convinced the bench that his client is fully cooperating in the investigation process.